Temperature Spike
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: In the heat of the moment passion flares.
1. Chapter 1

**Temperature Spike**

The heat at 7:30 in the morning was already oppressive. Mercury in the thermometers read 90 degrees and rising. Humidity ran somewhere near the 90 % range and shimmering mirages danced over the streets. Miami was in the grip of a major heat wave.

Tentacles of heat seemed to snake their way inside the air conditioned headquarters of CSI, making everyone slightly uncomfortable. Voices were sharp, nerves were frayed, and tempers were on edge. Everyone took unspoken permission to relax the unwritten dress code enough to be comfortable. Sandals, tank tops and sleeveless shirts were everywhere.

Eric's broad shoulders were encased in a snug-fitting, short sleeved green tee-shirt. Ryan wore a white, collarless tunic, embroidered down the front with blue stitching. Natalia had on a sleeveless linen top of bright pink. Frank Tripp wore a crisp, short sleeved dress shirt, minus the sport jacket he usually wore. Even Horatio had chosen to forgo his usual dark suit and was dressed simply in a pair of black slacks and a light blue, silk dress shirt, sleeves cuffed to the elbows and collar unbuttoned at the neck. And then there was Calleigh.

Calleigh was dressed in a pair of beige slacks that perfectly outlined the curves of her hips and backside and accentuated her trim waist. A soft green, sleeveless top clung to her mature body in all the right places. A sparkling, sequined hair clasp corralled the fluid gold mass of her hair into a shimmering pony tail that hung down her back. The sway of her shapely hips caused more than one of her male colleagues to take a second and even third look at her as she passed. Calleigh Duquesne was a walking heat wave inside CSI headquarters.

XXXXX

Lieutenant Horatio Caine was by no means immune to her beauty. He felt his pulse quicken when Calleigh stepped into his office with a sheaf of reports in hand.

"Horatio, I've got the report you requested," she told him. "The gun we recovered at the scene was hotter than the 4th of July. It was stolen a month ago from a Dale Sharp in Coral Gables."

_That gun isn't the only thing hotter than the 4__th__ of July,_ he thought as he studied her discreetly. He had to force himself to concentrate on the writing in front of him.

"I think…I think it's time for a trip to Coral Gables," he said. I'll meet you at the Hummer, Calleigh."

"On my way, Handsome." She smiled and he felt the temperature soar.

It was going to be a very, very long day.

XXXXX

The drive to Coral Gables was quite. Calleigh was content to ride with her eyes closed and her head resting against the back of the seat, letting the cold air from the vents flow over her face and neck. Horatio stole sideways glances at her as he drove. He couldn't help but notice the softly throbbing pulse point at the base of her throat, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the sensuous play of muscles in her neck when she swallowed once. Every tiny movement she made raised the temperature in spite of the air-conditioning, and he felt his body warming in response to the beautiful woman in the seat beside him. Resolutely he forced himself to keep his eyes on the road for the rest of the trip.

XXXXX

From the passenger side, Calleigh occasionally peeked through partially closed eyes to watch the man beside her in the driver's seat. He radiated raw masculine appeal. She was fascinated by the play of his strong hands on the steering wheel, the control they exhibited, and the expert way he handled the massive SUV. Her imagination teased her with images of those hands handling her the way he handled the Hummer and liquid heat spread through her body. _Come on, Calleigh. Get a grip, girl,_ she chided herself, and closed her eyes tightly to block out the deliciously disturbing image of Horatio Caine.

XXXXX

Heat hit them like a hammer blow when the opened the doors of the Hummer and stepped out into Mr. Sharp's driveway.

"Sweet lord, it is just too hot," Calleigh sighed as the walked to the front door. Already tiny beads of sweat were beginning to form on her forehead. One drop trickled down the side of her face and ran down her neck, leaving a glistening trail along her skin. Horatio had to stifle the sudden urge to lick his lips. The desire to taste that warm, salty skin was almost overwhelming.

_Stop this right now, Horatio Caine,_ he warned himself mentally._ You are playing with fire._ Had he known Calleigh's thoughts at the moment, he would have probably burst into spontaneous human combustion.

Calleigh allowed Horatio to precede her up the walk and then let her eyes travel over the body of the man in front of her. _God almighty, what a specimen of a man! _Her eyes took in the supple movements of his hips as he walked, and the ripple of muscle beneath his shirt. She rarely ever saw him without his suit coat and had never seen him with his forearms exposed. _What I wouldn't give to see him completely without that shirt._ The sheer audacity of the thought made her blush furiously and she was devoutly glad he was in front of her and couldn't see the pink stain that rushed into her cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Their knock on the front door was answered by Mr. Sharp.

"Mr. Sharp, my name is Horatio Caine. I'm with the Miami crime lab. This is my ballistics expert, Calleigh Duquesne. Do you mind if we come in? We have a few questions we'd like to ask you."

"Come on in," Mr. Sharp answered.

He ushered them into an opulent living area. Deep leather couches and chairs were tastefully arranged around the room. Lush green plants and flowers gave it a cool and inviting look. A deep plush rug of slate blue covered the tongue-in-groove wood floor. And the crowning glory…floor to ceiling windows opened the room to a view of the gorgeous poll area.

"Can I get you something to drink, officers? This heat is just brutal," their host said.

In an uncharacteristic move, Horatio agreed and nodded at Calleigh to do the same. Mr. Sharp disappeared from the living room, presumably into the kitchen, and returned seconds later with two bottled waters.

Frost covered the outside of the glass bottles, and Calleigh thought nothing had ever looked quite as refreshing as that water did at the moment. Gratefully she opened the bottle, placed it to her lips and took a long swallow of the cold liquid. Horatio's gaze was glued to her as she drank. The tip of her tongue flicked out to catch a drop of water that spilled onto her bottom lip, and Horatio almost groaned aloud. He would never have believed that the sight of someone drinking water could be so arousing, but with Calleigh it was damned near foreplay.

"Now Lieutenant Caine, what was it you needed to ask me?" Mr. Sharp said.

"Um…well..we'd like to ask you about a gun you reported stolen a month ago," Horatio answered after taking a sip of his own water in an attempt to ease the sudden dryness that assailed his throat at the directions his thoughts had taken him with regard to the very sultry blonde standing next to him. "Can you tell us anything about that situation?"

"Yeah…I reported it stolen just before my last renter moved out."

"Your last renter? Can you give us a name?"

"Do you mind my asking why?" Mr. Sharp responded.

"Well, Mr. Sharp, we recovered that gun last night during an armed robbery. A name might give us something to go on," explained Horatio.

"Sure, sure…his name was Philip. Philip Cowery. He just came to the main house one evening out of the blue, paid cash for the month's rent and told me he was leaving. I've never seen him again. He lived out in the guesthouse in the back. Would you like to see it?"

"We would. Thank you, Mr. Sharp." Horatio stood to leave.

"You might want to open a couple of windows in there if you plan to look around for longer than just a few minutes. With no one staying there, I turned off the AC system out there. Just trying to save a little on the bills."

"We understand." Horatio smiled at him.

"The door is unlocked. Help yourselves."

As they made their way to the sliding glass doors that lead to the back of the property, Horatio placed a hand at the small of Calleigh's back to guide her. Her eyes widened with shock and flew to look at his face. He had never before touched her like that. Horatio honestly did not know what possessed him to do such a thing. He only knew that the need to touch her was growing stronger and he didn't know how much longer he could keep his rampant desires in check.

XXXXX

The guesthouse was at the back of the lot behind a large hedge of Hibiscus bushes. It was sheltered and secluded. When they opened the door, the heat rolled out in visible waves, momentarily backing them up by sheer force of impact.

"Oh…wow…let's open those windows, Horatio. We'll cook in there if we don't," Calleigh panted.

Horatio found two windows that would open easily and swung them wide. The air that rushed in was not that much cooler than the air in the guesthouse, but at least it was moving. They turned on the ceiling fans, and began to look through the rooms.

Calleigh stepped into the living room and began to scan the area for anything out of order. Her movements were smooth and unhurried in spite of the heat, and Horatio found himself mesmerized by the gracefulness of her motions. She moved to look at the coffee table and squatted down for a closer look. Her pants tightened around her smooth, curving backside and Horatio gulped in a little breath. She turned to look at him with a smile, unaware of the visual jolt she had just given him.

_If she does that again, I'll take her right here on the floor, _he thought, his body on fire with need.

"Horatio look at this. I've got a piece of a gun grip here. It matches the broken area on the grip of our gun from last night."

He moved to where she was and knelt down next to her for a closer look. Accidentally his leg brushed hers and her breath caught with an audible hiss. Their eyes locked in an intense gaze.

"Calleigh…" he started to say but then stopped.

Swiftly he rose and moved away from her. He had to. The potent combination of her touch and her scent and the heat and the devastating curves of her body had him reeling.

"Horatio?"

"I'm going to the kitchen to see if anything is missing there," he said, desperately hoping she wouldn't notice the growing tightness of his slacks.

She nodded and looked as rattled as he felt.

A few moments later she left the living room to go to the dining room. As she rounded the corner into the hall she ran headlong into Horatio coming back from the kitchen. Her hands ended up splayed across his chest, and her body settled flush against him.

The unexpected contact with her soft, warm body snapped his wavering control and he simply reacted.

**A/N Yes, yes, I know it was terribly wicked of me to break the story at this point. In its original posting, it was a oneshot. I like it better this way. Patience, dear readers. Patience.**

**Lieutenant Caine**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Roughly he shoved her against the wall, grabbing her hands to pin them above her head, One hand easily held her wrists, while the other gripped her chin to hold her head captive.

"I want you Calleigh Duquesne," he growled. The scorching desire in his eyes sent a thrill sizzling through her body.

He bent his head and ravished her lips with a devastating kiss. This was no gentle caress…it was full blown sexual need totally out of control. He rained rough, demanding kisses on her face, her lips, and her neck. His teeth left tiny marks of possession where he nipped her sensitive skin.

"I've wanted you since the day I first saw you, Calleigh," he muttered in between nuzzling her collarbone and laving the sweat slick skin of her neck with his tongue. "God, how I want you!"

He thrust the lower part of his body against hers, impressing on her just how very much he wanted her and Calleigh almost fainted with pleasure. He still held her hands captive, and she struggled against him, desperate for the same freedom to touch and tease and caress. The movement of her lithe body transmitted itself straight to his aching hardness and he let go of her chin to clamp his arm around her waist and yank her hard against the lower half of his body.

"Please, Horatio," she gasped, "let me touch you."

He released her hands and Calleigh slid her arms around his neck, arching her body against him.

Almost whimpering with desperation, Horatio quickly undid the buckle of her belt, jerked open the zipper of her slacks and shoved them and her soaking wet panties down her legs. Calleigh's eager fingers made just as quick work of his pants and boxers.

He slid his hands down the rounded swell of her backside and lifted her off the floor to straddle his waist. She wrapped her legs around him and whispered, "Take me, Horatio. Take me now."

With a groan, he impaled her, sliding home with one deep thrust and pinning her between the wall and his body.

The heat of her was incredible, and he gasped aloud at the pleasure. He began to pound into her, each stroke deep and sure, pushing them both toward the edge of release. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew she would be bruised, but he simply could not stop. The heat that had been building between them all day had to be cooled, and total possession of her was the only choice he had.

They moved in time to a primitive rhythm, heated and wild; he thrusting deeply, and she meeting his every stroke with her own frantic movements. He felt her tense in his arms, heard her cry out his name, and then felt her muscles spasm around him, sending him spinning over the brink into his own release… tension broken, passion soothed, heat cooled.

Reality was slow in returning. For some moments afterwards they just remained in each other arms, regaining senses lost in the heat of passion. Gently Horatio set Calleigh down, but kept her in the circle of his arms. Passion spent, his touch was now soft, comforting and protective. Her head rested weakly against his chest, her arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders.

"Horatio…my god what just happened?" she murmured.

"I think the heat got to us, Sweetheart," he chuckled.

Reluctantly he lowered his arms from around her and looked down into her flushed face. "Come on. We need to clean up and get out of here before Mr. Sharp shows up." His words brought the very public nature of their surroundings back to her with a jolt.

Horatio bent down and picked up her clothes from the floor, handing them to her with a tender smile. Quickly they dressed and were smoothing hair mussed during their love making, when Mr. Sharp called through the open window.

"Lieutenant? Ms. Duquesne? Everything okay in here?"

Horatio, looking calm and cool in spite of having just ravished his ballistics expert, stepped to the door and spoke with the homeowner, giving Calleigh much needed precious time to finish hiding the evidence of their unexpected encounter. When she stepped into view, Horatio's heart did a summersault. She was lovely with her face flushed, and skin glowing. His sharp eyes detected one of the tiny marks he'd made on her skin when he'd first lost control. Heat threatened to swell again, but he firmly doused the flare of need. Now was definitely not the time.

"Mr. Sharp, we were just finishing. Thank you for letting us look around." Horatio spoke smoothly.

"Ms. Duquesne, are you ready?" Horatio reached a hand toward her and she moved to stand beside him.

"Yes, Lieutenant. I think we've gathered as much information as we need here. Thank you, Mr. Sharp."

Calleigh's voice was calm, but Horatio could see the unmistakable effects of their love making in her green eyes.

Once back in the Hummer, Horatio leaned over to Calleigh and kissed her deeply before starting the engine and backing out. As he expertly maneuvered out of the drive, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed.

"Frank? Horatio. For the rest of the day, Ms. Duquesne and I are off our phones." His voice allowed for no arguments or questions, and Calleigh's eyes went wide at the implications.

"Horatio..won't they….won't they wonder why we aren't on call?" she stammered after he flipped his phone closed.

"Let them guess. You are coming home with me, Sweetheart," he informed her. This time it was her heart turning cartwheels.

Like earlier in the day, the drive was quiet, but this time, Horatio kept finding excuses to touch Calleigh as he drove; a light brush of his fingers on her bare arm, a caress along her neck, fingers stroking through her golden hair. He even stole a quick kiss at a red light.

When they arrived at Horatio's home, Calleigh felt herself grow anxious. It had seemed so easy to give in to the heat of the moment when they were alone in a strange place, but this was different. This was his domain, his world…she was slightly overwhelmed that he had asked her into it. Horatio Caine allowed very few into his world.

He sensed her thoughts, and turned to her before they got out of the Hummer.

"Calleigh, look at me, Sweetheart." His hand cupped her chin gently. "You're not sure. I can see it in your eyes. We don't have to do this. Just say the word and I'll take you back to CSI and you can go home and forget it ever happened."

Looking into his blue eyes, Calleigh saw the conflict there. He still wanted her mightily, but would sacrifice his own desires to make her happy. She also saw the undeniable love radiating out from his gaze. The knowledge that he was granting her power over both their happiness soothed the knots of nervousness in her stomach, and she reached for him with a tender kiss.

"Take me in, Horatio. I want to be with you." It was total surrender.

"Sweetheart…" was all he could say. The gift of her unconditional trust left him speechless.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Once inside, Horatio guided Calleigh to the magnificent white and green tiled master bathroom. His first task was to turn on the water in the gorgeous Jacuzzi tub and tip a handful or aromatic bath crystals into the frothing water. Then as the tub filled, he set about to slowly undress her. His movements were soft, slow and tender, nothing like the frantic hurried scene from the guesthouse only a short time before. His touch was pure seduction. Calleigh murmured in contentment as his hands eased her shirt down her shoulders and off her arms, leaving it to puddle in the floor at her feet. His lips moved in silken caresses over her skin, stopping frequently to lavish attention on the already forming bruises he knew he'd placed there during their previous rough encounter.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart," his breath whispered across her skin. "I bruised you. I didn't mean to be so rough."

His contrition stole her heart.

"Horatio, I wanted that as much as you did. Don't apologize," she shushed him as she let her lips work their way up his neck. She kissed her way along his jaw line and then up to his mouth. Their lips met in a deep, hungry kiss. Finally she pulled back and looked into his darkening eyes.

"I think one of us is slightly overdressed for this activity, don't you think, Handsome?"

"Hmmm. You think so?" he purred. "What are you going to do about that?"

Her answer was to loosen his belt and slide it from his belt loops in a slow tease. Horatio sucked in a breath. She let it fall to the floor and then went to work on his slacks. Skillfully, she unbuttoned and unzipped them, letting them slide to the floor along with his silk boxers. He quickly stepped out of them and then with a moan of arousal, he swiftly took off his shirt, threw it aside and swung her up into his arms.

Carefully he stepped into the tub with her and lowered them both into the soothing water. She sighed at the incredible sensation of being surrounded not only by his strong arms, but also by the fragrant water of the bath. He settled her into his lap with her back against his chest, his arms wrapped securely around her waist. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder. She was completely seduced.

Softly he trailed kisses over her shoulders, his hands following to stroke and caress slick, wet skin.

"Calleigh…Calleigh," he breathed, "You feel so good in my arms.

She was so far gone that she was only able to manage a contended murmur in response.

Carefully he gripped her by the waist and turned her around in his arms so she was straddling him. This time he was infinitely tender when he entered her. And this time he let her set the pace.

She began to rock her hips against his, moving slowly, letting the heat and passion build between them all over again. Each languid stroke brought her closer to the edge, and Horatio watched, enchanted as she slowly reached her peak and slipped into a blissful climax. Her quiet cries of pleasure and the incredible heat of her body brought him swiftly to the edge and with one deep thrust he came with her.

Calleigh collapsed into his arms, nestling against his chest, completely spent.

He held her close, murmuring words of love and tenderness into her hair. His hands traced soothing patterns on her back. They lay there contentedly until Horatio realized that the water had cooled significantly. At last he stirred beneath her.

"Calleigh," he said softly. "We need to get you out of this water before you get chilled."

"Mmmm," she protested.

"Come on, angel, up you go," he prodded her.

He stepped out of the tub and easily lifted her out beside him. Retrieving a soft, warm towel from the rack, he thoroughly dried her, taking infinite care. Then he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bed. He set her on her feet long enough to pull back the covers, and then gently placed her in the bed and settled himself beside her. He cuddled her close and wrapped both arms around her securely. Sleep claimed her almost immediately, but Horatio stayed awake a while longer savoring the feel of the angel in his arms. Finally he too succumbed to the call of dreams, but not before brushing a kiss across her hair and whispering words of love.

"I love you, Calleigh Duquesne."

And in his dreams she answered.

FIN


End file.
